Griffins Game #22 * Home Game #12 * AHL Game #311

Season Series: 1-2-0-0 Home Series: 1-0-0-0 Road Series: 0-2-0-0
All-Time Series: 63-32-1-1-7 All-Time Home Series: 33-13-1-1-5 All-Time Road Series: 30-19-0-0-2

Griffins vs. Moose
Fourth of eight meetings overall, second of four at Van Andel Arena…After Grand Rapids won the first meeting of the season on Oct. 25 at Van Andel Arena, the Moose swept a weekend series in Winnipeg Nov. 2-3…Since Manitoba rejoined the AHL in 2015-16, Grand Rapids is 19-8 against the Moose and outscored them 89-63…On home ice in that span, the Griffins are 10-3 with a 47-32 scoring advantage…Grand Rapids has claimed five of the last six meetings at Van Andel Arena…Matt Puempel recorded his first AHL hat trick and Joe Veleno netted his first pro goal on Oct. 25 vs. Manitoba…Chris Terry leads the Griffins with eight points (3-5—8) in three games this season vs. Manitoba…Jansen Harkins is the series’ top scorer with nine points in three appearances (2-7—9)…Grand Rapids’ power play has converted on 5 of 9 chances against the Moose (55.6%)…Moose forward Derek Hulak skated in 35 regular season games with the Griffins last season and tallied four points (1-3—4) before showing a goal and an assist in four games during the Central Division Semifinals against Chicago.

Last Game (Wednesday): Griffins 2 at Wolves 5 - Recap
Chris Terry scored his team-leading 10th goal of the season and Dominic Turgeon added his fourth...Calvin Pickard made his fourth consecutive start in net...The Griffins outshot the Wolves 29-22 and Grand Rapids holds an 85-76 shot advantage during its three-game losing streak…Nine AHL rookies skated for Grand Rapids in the contest...The season series between Chicago and Grand Rapids stands 1-1 and the next meeting is Dec. 4 at Van Andel Arena.

Status Update
The Griffins will look to quell a three-game losing skid tonight when they welcome the Manitoba Moose to Van Andel Arena for the team’s 20th Annual Teddy Bear Toss. Grand Rapids is below the 0.500 mark for the first time since last season when the team opened 4-5-0-1 before an 8-4 win on Nov. 4, 2018 at Cleveland pushed the Griffins back to even ground. Grand Rapids returns to Illinois tomorrow to play Rockford.

Puzzle Pieces
The Griffins have recently been missing several key components that were on the team’s opening night roster:
Dylan McIlrath (0-3—3 in 10 GP) – on recall with Detroit since Nov. 5, missed last 10 games
Matt Puempel (9-10—19 in 17 GP) – missed last four due to injury
Michael Rasmussen (2-7—9 in 10 GP) – missed last six due to injury
Givani Smith (3-4—7 in 10 GP) – missed last three due to injury, missed four prior to that while on recall with Detroit
Filip Zadina (7-6—13 in 19 GP) – on recall with Detroit since Nov. 24, missed last game

November Notes
Grand Rapids concludes its 14-game November slate this weekend. So far in the month, Chris Terry leads the team in points (6-7—13 in 12 GP) and goals, and Terry and rookie Moritz Seider tie for tops in assists with seven. The Red Wings have recalled or assigned a player from or to Grand Rapids a total of 15 times this month. A total of 24 skaters have suited up for the Griffins in the month, marking the highest number of players to see action in the last 15 Novembers. (The next closest is Nov. 2011 with 23 players.)

Second Helpings
The Griffins are playing on Black Friday for the 14th consecutive season and hold a 12-4-1-3 (0.700) all-time record on the day after Thanksgiving, including a 10-4-0-3 (0.676) mark on home ice. Grand Rapids fell at home 3-2 in a shootout against Milwaukee last season and has points in six of the last seven outings on Black Friday (4-1-1-1).

Thanksgiving Measuring Stick
At Thanksgiving, the Griffins tie for fourth in the Central Division and would be out of a playoff spot if the season ended today. The November holiday is often used as a prediction for hockey teams and their playoff fate. This has rung true for the Griffins, as 12 times in their 18 AHL seasons their playoff position at Thanksgiving has correctly corresponded with the season’s ultimate postseason status. Of the nine previous times the Griffins have been out of a playoff position at Thanksgiving, they still went on to the postseason five times. During the Griffins’ current seven-year playoff streak, they have been out of a playoff spot at Thanksgiving on four occasions (2014-15, 2015-16, 2017-18 and 2018-19).

This Date in Griffins History
1997: 1996-97 NHL All-Rookie Team goaltender Patrick Lalime makes his Griffins debut with 37 saves in a 4-1 win at Detroit before an IHL-record crowd of 20,804 at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
2005: In the first-ever appearance by a Grand Rapids pro hockey team in the state of Iowa, the Griffins fall 3-2 to the Stars.

Griffins in General
Grand Rapids is in the franchise’s 24th overall season of play, 19th as a member of the American Hockey League and 18th as the primary affiliate of the 11-time Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings…Grand Rapids is 974-666-27-59-113 (0.584) in the regular season since 1996-97 to go along with 17 playoff appearances, seven division titles and two Calder Cups (2017, 2013)…The Griffins have earned 40 or more wins and accumulated 90 or more points in six of the last seven seasons…Grand Rapids has qualified for the Calder Cup Playoffs in a franchise-record seven consecutive seasons and advanced to at least the second round on five occasions…The Griffins’ 8-5 season-opening win at Chicago on Oct. 5 marked the club’s 750th win in the AHL…Grand Rapids’ 314 regular season wins since the 2012-13 campaign are third behind Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s 316 and Toronto’s 330 while the Griffins’ 681 points in that span are fourth, trailing Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (683), Providence (687) and Toronto (716)...Since the affiliation began in 2002-03, 90 Griffins have gone on to play for the Red Wings.

Apple Seider
The team’s top-scoring defenseman with 11 points (1-10—11), Moritz Seider is T18th among all AHL defensemen and fourth among rookie blueliners in scoring. Born April 6, 2001, Seider ties Ontario’s Tobias Bjornfot for the second-youngest player in the AHL this season. Only Bridgeport’s Simon Holmstrom (May 24, 2001) is younger.

Back Up, Terr
Chris Terry ties for the AHL lead in points (25) while pacing the Griffins in goals (10), assists (15), multi-point games (8) and power play goals (6). He has accumulated 19 points (8-11—19) in the last 16 games. In his 11th-year pro, Terry led the Griffins with 61 points last season and the most recent player to lead GR in scoring in back-to-back seasons was Andy Miele in 2014-15 and 2015-16.

Knowing Our Own Power
The Griffins place fourth in the AHL in power play efficiency at 22.5% (20-for-89) and have scored in seven of the last 12 games. Grand Rapids has netted two or more PPGs in a single game five times already this season, compared to eight in all of 2018-19. Chris Terry (6-6—12), Matt Puempel (3-6—9), Filip Zadina (4-2—6) and Joe Hicketts (0-6—6) lead the way in power play points. The PP accounts for 29.9% of Grand Rapids’ goals.

Presented by J&H Family Stores

Time: 7 p.m. at Van Andel Arena (doors open at 6 p.m.).

20th Annual Teddy Bear Toss presented by J&H Family Stores: The annual Teddy Bear Toss benefiting Hug-A-Bears of Kent County is back. Fans are encouraged to bring new, store-tagged teddy bears and stuffed animals to throw onto the ice after the Griffins score their first goal.

$2 Beers and $2 Hot Dogs: Fans can enjoy $2 domestic drafts and $2 hot dogs from 6-8 p.m., while supplies last.

Post-Game Open Skate: Bring your skates to the rink and take to the ice for the post-game open skate.

Get in the D-ZONE presented by Coppercraft Distillery: Every Friday night is a Griffins D-Zone night. Avoid the concession lines and get your $2 beers and $2 hot dogs served to you in your seats. Call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2 or visit griffinshockey.com/dzone today to purchase a package of four or more D-Zone tickets for any Friday night game.

College Night presented by Michigan First Credit Union: Presented by Michigan First Credit Union, college students can buy online using their school .edu email address or show their ID at every Friday game to purchase an Upper Level Faceoff ticket for $13 (or $12 in advance at The Zone) or an Upper Level Center Ice ticket for $16 (or $15 in advance at The Zone). Limit one ticket per ID if purchasing in-person. Visit griffinshockey.com/college to sign up for College Night alerts.

Free Ride Friday on the Rapid: Ride the Rapid to and from any Friday game and enjoy complimentary fare by showing your ticket to the game. Visit ridetherapid.org for schedule information, routes and maps.

Pepsi Reading Goals Redemption Date: Children with Griff’s Reading Goals bookmarks who have completed the required three hours of reading can redeem their bookmark for two free upper level tickets to any of the following games: Nov. 29 or Dec. 4.

Photo by Sam Iannamico/Griffins